I'm not spinning anything at this moment (because ostensibly busy putting food on my family), but yesterday had a delightful moment. Sifting through some LPs abandoned years ago by my sister-in-law I discovered a pristine copy of the Beach Boys' "Shut Down Volume II" recorded in 1964.

"Fun Fun Fun" ('till your Daddy took the T-bird away") opens the LP. In addition to this being a GREAT tune, I am absolutely astonished at the quality of the studio engineering on this cut: the use of stereo to augment the complex harmonies is VERY impressive and, of course, the LP presents their voices with a silky accuracy and resolution you've NEVER heard on a CD (sorry guys, its true: the Redbook CD format is mid-fi at best).

What a great tune.

--------------Myth: Something that never was true, and always will be.

"The truth will set you free. But not until it is finished with you."- David Foster Wallace

"Hereâ€™s a clue. Snarky banalities are not a substitute for saying something intelligent. Write that down."- Barry Arrington

Do you remember the big fuss over DDD CDs? I wasn't that impressed. I'm similarly unimpressed with the gain in HDTV.

Music wise, get yourself some 1210's and take good care of your vinyl. Its worth remembering that a lot of early music was mixed for the medium, so it will sound better (warmer) on vinyl. Of course the sound is only as good as the weakest link in your setup...

Music wise, get yourself some 1210's and take good care of your vinyl...

By which you mean Technics 1210 turntables?

I use much older gear: an Empire 398 turntable manufactured in 1962 (with a six pound aluminum platter that could easily be used as a murder weapon) on which I've mounted a SME 3009 II improved arm (circa 1973, made in Britain). That carries an AT 440MLa phono cartridge, which is fantastic tracker and an amazing buy. Played through two tube-fired H-K monaural receivers (circa 1956, used for their amplifier sections only) into home built enclosures containing University Sound drivers from the early '50s and '60s (of which my avatar is one example).

I'm young and naive and have been listening to Sneaker Pimps albums for about three days now. I've got a terrible migraine and my ears hurt.

--------------"ALL eight of the "nature" miracles of Jesus could have been accomplished via the electroweak quantum tunneling mechanism. For example, walking on water could be accomplished by directing a neutrino beam created just below Jesus' feet downward." - Frank Tipler, ISCID fellow

--------------"ALL eight of the "nature" miracles of Jesus could have been accomplished via the electroweak quantum tunneling mechanism. For example, walking on water could be accomplished by directing a neutrino beam created just below Jesus' feet downward." - Frank Tipler, ISCID fellow

--------------"ALL eight of the "nature" miracles of Jesus could have been accomplished via the electroweak quantum tunneling mechanism. For example, walking on water could be accomplished by directing a neutrino beam created just below Jesus' feet downward." - Frank Tipler, ISCID fellow

My setup is pretty ordinary. Decent Soundblaster card going through a y-cable to a Sony STR-K9900P reciever and then to some JBL bookshelf speakers. I've got a little bit of hearing damage and I probably couldn't tell my setup from an extravagant one anyway. And given how allergic audiophiles are to double-blind tests, some of them probably couldn't either.

I've got a little bit of hearing damage and I probably couldn't tell my setup from an extravagant one anyway. And given how allergic audiophiles are to double-blind tests, some of them probably couldn't either.

Have you been following this amusing battle between James Randi and fans of the $7250 Pear Anjou stereo cables?

--------------And the set of natural numbers is also the set that starts at 0 and goes to the largest number. -- Joe G

I've got a little bit of hearing damage and I probably couldn't tell my setup from an extravagant one anyway. And given how allergic audiophiles are to double-blind tests, some of them probably couldn't either.

Have you been following [URL=http://gizmodo.com/gadgets/calling-bullshit/updated-journalist-accepts-1-million-challenge-do-7250-cables-sound-better-or-not-311034.p

hp?retitled]this amusing battle[/URL] between James Randi and fans of the $7250 Pear Anjou stereo cables?

Oh my, yes! Honestly, Randi be danged, I have found the Pears to be *the* cables through which to play the split LP "Earslaughter" by Extreme Noise Terror and Chaos U.K. They bring out the warmth in E.N.T.'s "Bullshit Propaganda", as well as enhancing the tastes of oak and cherry found amid the high ranges of the entire 12".

And, of course, those 1210s are de rigeurwhen listening to Sore Throat's "Unhindered by Talent," as well as their magnum opus "Disgrace to the Corpse of Sid".

I've got a little bit of hearing damage and I probably couldn't tell my setup from an extravagant one anyway. And given how allergic audiophiles are to double-blind tests, some of them probably couldn't either.

Have you been following this amusing battle between James Randi and fans of the $7250 Pear Anjou stereo cables

A spoof audio product (audiophile air) I imagined over at the Vintage Asylum:

Quote

I sell AudioAir, which uses polished nitrogen atoms and balanced O2 for perfect impedance matching between driver diaphragm and AudioAir, as well as AudioAir and human tympani. Each bottle of compressed AudioAir is play tested and broken in for 100 hours with a variety of program materials. The infusion of AudioAir in to your listening atmosphere yields a a more coherent soundstage, higher resolution, superior speed, and prompt activation of the recently discovered musimami receptor. Our promise: No concentrators, humidification, or pulse regulators stand between you and the music, as is the case with with lessor "audiophile" airs. $2395/10 liters. Optional tiptoes for your bottle of AudioAir $195.

--------------Myth: Something that never was true, and always will be.

"The truth will set you free. But not until it is finished with you."- David Foster Wallace

"Hereâ€™s a clue. Snarky banalities are not a substitute for saying something intelligent. Write that down."- Barry Arrington

Over at the AudioAsylum discussion of double blind and ABX testing is strictly forbidden in certain fora, particularly the forum dealing with cables.

"Why are DBT discussions not allowed?

Quite simply, the reason is that these topics rarely spark a productive exchange. While a vast majority of Asylum inmates are firmly in the middle ground, the topics of DBT and ABX tend to force polarization and quickly degrade into death spiraling flame wars."

--------------Myth: Something that never was true, and always will be.

"The truth will set you free. But not until it is finished with you."- David Foster Wallace

"Hereâ€™s a clue. Snarky banalities are not a substitute for saying something intelligent. Write that down."- Barry Arrington